The Institute for Minority Rights pursues basic and applied research on the protection of minorities and the management of cultural diversity. It focuses on issues of cohesion and governance in pluri-ethnic societies, including the new challenges related to migration into territories inhabited by minorities.

The research projects carried out by the institute concern three key
research areas​​:

​Besides its expertise in conducting basic and applied research, the institute publishes various high-end
academic publications​​, and offers
consultancy​ and
training on minority rights worldwide. Drawing on the South Tyrolean autonomy model as a contextual framework for the Institute's work, our team of lawyers and political scientists promote peaceful coexistence in pluri-ethnic societies and intercultural understanding between different peoples around the world. The institute focuses on the management of ethnic and cultural diversity as a tool for accomplishing these goals.